Teachers Report Improvements in Student Engagement, Safety and Classroom Behavior Following Implementation of Strict Cell Phone Policies

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Aug 27, 2024, 12:00 ET

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- With back-to-school season underway, many educators, parents and students are concerned about the potential impact of cell phone policies in their respective school districts. A recent survey conducted by Study.com highlights improvements across student engagement, safety and classroom behavior, according to teachers, when strict cell phone policies are in place at the middle and high school levels.

Results from Study.com’s Cell Phone Policy Survey, showing differences between teachers with flexible policies and those with strict policies in place.

Nationwide, 68 percent of teachers report that strict cell phone policies had improved classroom behavior, with a nearly 20 percent drop in how much time spent on phone management in the classroom each day.

"At Study.com, we're focused on supporting educators at all levels by providing them with technology that saves them time so they can focus on strengthening their teacher-student relationship," explained Dana Bryson, Senior Vice President of Social Impact at Study.com. "It's not surprising then that when teachers can focus their time and attention on direct student interaction – when and where it's needed most – engagement and behavior improve."

Additionally, 76 percent of teachers believe strict cell phone policies have improved overall student engagement, an ongoing post-pandemic challenge. That number is even higher in certain states including Illinois at 80 percent, and Florida and Texas reporting 78 percent each.

While parents express concern about not being able to reach their children and with safety issues (among the top three reasons against cell phone policies), 70 percent of teachers in districts with strict policies report an improvement in student safety, particularly as it relates to bullying. Further, 69 percent of teachers believe their own safety has increased with the adoption of strict policies.

At a state-specific level, teachers in five states indicated student safety had increased more than the national average, following strict cell phone policy adoption:

New Jersey and New York at 78 percent each
Florida and Pennsylvania at 75 percent each
Texas at 71 percent

Teachers in California, New Jersey and New York also reported higher-than-average improvements in classroom management as a result of strict cell phone policies.

Study.com surveyed more than 1,103 middle and high school teachers to gauge how cell phone policies (whether strict or flexible) impacted student engagement, classroom behavior, teacher stress and workload, and overall student and teacher safety. This survey was conducted online between July 24 - August 6, 2024. Most respondents (approximately 71 percent) identified as White, nearly 14 percent identified as Black, about 6 percent as Hispanic or Latine, and around 5 percent as Asian. Survey results also found statistically significant data from several states, including New York, California, Florida, New Jersey, Illinois and Pennsylvania.

For more information and to see the full survey visit: https://teachinglicense.study.com/featured-insights/mobile-bans-increase-engagement-and-learning-time.html

Study.com opens the door to the life-changing impact of education for more than 34 million learners and educators a month through its award-winning online learning platform for K12 curriculum, college courses and test preparation. With learners and educators in more than 11,000 school districts nationwide, Study.com is recognized by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) for meeting Level IV evidence standards. Headquartered in Mountain View, CA, Study.com has been honored as one of the world's most innovative companies by Fast Company and included in the GSV150, celebrating the world's most transformative private companies in education, for the last two consecutive years. The company has donated $29 million across social impact programs committed to increasing educational equity. These programs include Working Scholars^®, an accelerated pathway for working adults to earn a debt-free bachelor's degree, and Keys to the Classroom, which seeks to help aspiring educators prepare for and pass their teacher certification exams.

SOURCE Study.com